Preparing your CV: Tips for students

Crafting an effective CV and writing a covering letter/email are important skills to hone, as they’re pivotal in the recruitment process. It's often the first point of contact between you and potential employers, making it essential to present yourself effectively. Read on for tips on what to include and avoid when preparing your CV for dental foundation training (DFT) or dental vocational training (DVT) applications.

Certain areas of the country attract lots of applicants for vacancies, so a DFT/DVT trainer is likely to be reading a lot of very similar CVs. So, how do you make yours stand out?

Layout

Aligning your CV with the personal specification enhances your chances of selection. Present your CV clearly, concisely, and flawlessly, ensuring it aligns with prospective trainers' expectations. A good layout will make your CV look professional and easier to follow. A punchy first line and photograph can grab the reader’s attention and make them want to carry on reading, so make it an easy read!

It is recommended to keep your CV limited to a two-page (A4 size) document and organise it into sub-sections, including personal details, education, personal development, work experience, skills, interests, memberships, and references. Use an easy-to-read font (Arial 11, for example) and print it on good quality white paper.

Using bullet points can help you keep your text succinct; use your covering letter to expand on information about your experience.

Remember, your CV is designed to outline your achievements and make potential employers want to find out more about you, rather than detailing your experiences in depth.

Download our sample CV template for students applying for DFT or DFT.

CV contents

How you present your CV can make a difference on whether you are overlooked or not. We've compiled a comprehensive guide below to help you develop a CV that effectively represents your professional experience and skills.

Personal details

Include the necessary information to contact you in the case of a successful application. Make sure your contact information is up-to-date and avoid irrelevant personal details.

Use your current address, not your parents' (unless you reside there full-time)
Provide a mobile number and professional email. Consider creating a dedicated email for job applications if your existing ones aren't suitable
Make sure you leave out your age, date of birth, or marital status from your CV
Consider linking to any professional social media accounts you have created such as LinkedIn.

Personal development

Awards

Education and qualifications

Elective or research project

If you undertook an elective, it is useful to include a brief paragraph about this and include:

Where you went
What you did
(Most importantly) what you learnt from the experience.

If you undertook a research project instead, outline:

Your activities
Your findings.

Each of these should be no more than 100 words.

This gives insight to your thought processes, and interests. It shows cognitive thinking and an insight to how you might work in practice.

Publications

Paid work, work experience and gap year activities

Just like your educational achievements, your working history eg part time jobs whilst at dental school and any dental related work experience, should be listed in reverse chronological order.

Write down:

Every part-time job
Each work experience placement
If you had a gap year before going to university, details of what you did.

It doesn’t matter if your experiences are not related to the dental field.

This section of your CV shows a potential trainer that you have experience of a working environment and that you have acquired transferable skills, such as communication skills, which are vital for a dentist.

Skills

Briefly mention relevant IT, language, and any other skills you feel might be relevant to the position. Having skills in certain areas may translate to learning quickly in other areas.

This is a good place to include that you have a driving license, if applicable. Having a driver’s license shows you’ll be able to easily travel anywhere you need to be, especially if the practice is far away from local transport hubs.

Interests

Use this section to provide insights into your personality and what you enjoy doing outside of your dental studies.

Try to emphasise transferable skills gained through these activities, for example you could include:

Future leaders programme participant with the British Dental Association – Increased my leadership skills and knowledge and inspired my involvement in local and national dental politics
Competitive rugby player, meeting every week for a game and training twice weekly – team communication, managing weekly schedules and responsibilities.

Qualities highlighted in these interests, such as a caring approach, communication skills, sense of humour, drive, and the ability to work as part of a team all represent transferable skills to dental work.

These interests may also offer a connection point with your recruiter, if they share/shared any of these similar activities and hobbies it can create a talking point.

Memberships

References

Supply contact details for two individuals (preferably tutors) who can comment on your character and clinical abilities.

Make sure you ask them before you put their names on your CV, so they are not surprised when they receive a request for a reference about you. Also remember, they will probably receive lots of requests from other students for references, so try to give them as much notice as possible.

A great reference can back up all the rest of what’s written on the CV.

Supporting files: Covering letter or email

Ensure your CV is accompanied by a covering letter or email every time you apply.

Personalise each email for each individual practice. Take the opportunity to carefully respond to each question or comment that has been asked for/about in the job description.

Use the email to enhance your CV, briefly explaining why you want to work at a specific practice and why you're an ideal candidate.

Remember, trainers receive many applications, so taking the time to research the practice and reflecting that in your email demonstrates your genuine interest.

This is an opportunity to answer the job role with your interests and personality, and reasoning as to why you’d be a good fit. If there are aspects of dentistry that you really enjoy, let them know! The practice will be looking for someone who is enthusiastic so try to convey this.

Final checks

Format

Follow the request of the trainer and/or job description as to whether you are required to attach your CV with a cover letter or to an email. This shows you can follow required instructions.

Application final checks

Ensure meticulous spelling, grammar, and accurate details in both your CV and covering letter. Take time for a fresh review or seek input from others to enhance your application's quality. This shows care and attention to detail.